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Another shot at getting a new AU chairperson as nominations open

Member states of the African Union Commission (AUC) have another opportunity of nominating candidates for the next AU election after the failure to choose new executives during the recent Summit in Rwanda.

There are three candidates vying for the position of African Union chairperson and none of them attained the required two-thirds majority after seven rounds of voting.

Reports indicated that the ECOWAS bloc which had petitioned earlier for the postponement of the election on the grounds that none of the candidates was qualified enough for the position, did not participate therefore reducing the number of votes to meet the majority.

The AUC in a statement on Wednesday said the re-opening of the process allows for both the former candidates, as well as new candidates to run for any of the ten (10) positions.

The positions are Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and eight (8) Commissioners of the African Union Commission.

Deadline for the submission of candidates for the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson positions is September 30 while that of the commissioners vary according to stages of validation.

The South African Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has been the AU chairperson since 2012 and did not apply for a second term during the earlier nomination process.

The new elections will be held during the 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government from January 30 to 31 at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.